The similarities between John Wick and Jesus Christ likely start and finish with silky locks and an uncanny ability to cheat death.
That’s never stopped filmmaker Chad Stahelski from shovelling religious imagery into this franchise, though. It’s always as if the Rapture itself is right around the corner. Back, alive, after an unfortunate tumble off a New York City rooftop at the end of 2019’s Chapter 3, Keanu Reeves’s indomitable assassin now stalks the aisles of saintly cathedrals. He crosses pistols with a blood brother named Caine (Donnie Yen), whose name echoes the biblical kinsman tarred by murder. And, most arrestingly, he opens the film hurling several ferocious punches, which hit their target with the sonorous quality of church bells summoning the faithful.
Even at its nearly three-hour runtime, John Wick: Chapter 4 commits so nobly to its self-seriousness that it almost borders into camp. And yet, the franchise possesses both the self-confidence and the ingenuity to earn its boldness – even at one point replicating the 1962 classic Lawrence of Arabia and its famous cut from a blown-out match to a shimmering expanse of desert.
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin March 24, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin March 24, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Can a single election put a stop to Europe's far right?
Voters in the German state of Brandenburg go to the polls this weekend, in the last of a trio of regional elections in the former East Germany that are seen as a gauge of the political climate - not just in these states, not just in Germany, but across Europe.
Things are looking ominous for Starmer's £170k adviser
Sue Gray, the prime minister's chief of staff, is facing a sullen revolt from the political advisers she is supposed to lead.
Dubois: I need to take AJ back to that dark place
Daniel Dubois is ‘ready to destroy’, hears Alex Pattle, when he defends his IBF title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley
Bath capable of pulling the plug on Saints title defence
Eight or nine clubs could contend for the Premiership playoffs, Harry Latham-Coyle predicts in his club-by-club guide
Chelsea's autographs ban a sign of the times for WSL
The Women's Super League enters a new era as the holders host Aston Villa in tonight's opener, writes Jamie Braidwood
Raya penalty save rescues Arsenal in forgettable draw
A double save reflects a double-edged display. It could have been worse for Arsenal, it never really looked like getting much better.
Driving down electricity prices is not all good news
Europe has seen a record number of hours this year where electricity prices dropped below zero – a sign of progress in renewable energy generation but also a growing challenge that has lessons for other countries.
Why borrowers must wait for help on interest rates
Bank of England will pencil in a November cut but do not hold out for a further reduction this year, warns James Moore
Zelensky's right-hand man fights Russian chess moves
Adviser wants to block Moscow’s return to international fold
Israeli arrested over 'plot to assassinate Netanyahu'
An Israeli man has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a plot to assassinate prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other senior officials after being recruited by Iran, Israel's internal security service has said.